THE WATERS OF COOK COUNTY

From Lake Superior to the long, thin lakes of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and countless bodies of water in between, water is everywhere in Cook County. After the mid-continental rift split the earth’s crust and ancient submarine volcanoes formed Cook County’s characteristic rocky terrain, massive glaciers blanketed the entire region. When these behemoths retreated, they carved deep gouges into the bedrock that would become the thousands of lakes and streams that mark the land today. No trip is complete without getting on or in the water in a way that speaks to your soul.

Paddle Lake Superior

Sign up for a guided kayak or stand-up paddleboard experience on Lake Superior. Navigating the stunning shoreline of Lake Superior in a paddle-powered watercraft is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but you certainly don’t have to limit yourself to a single adventure. There’s something deeply satisfying (and humbling) about using only the power of your body to move steadily through the world’s largest freshwater lake.

FISH INLAND LAKES, STREAMS AND LAKE SUPERIOR

Whether you prefer to cast from shore, a canoe, a charter boat, a cozy ice shack or find your own secret honey hole, Cook County has fishing spots sure to satisfy your desire to catch a trophy. Anglers aged 16+ must have a Minnesota Fishing License, which can be purchased online or at a local store.

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Experience The Bwcaw

A trip to the BWCAW is an adventure into a true wilderness. In a place this remote, the absence of human-made light means you’ll experience one of the darkest skies in the world, and you’ll feel like you have the entire million-acre wilderness to yourself. Paddle through pristine lakes and streams and portage your gear through stunning and challenging terrain.

Take A Swim

No summer is complete without a good, oldfashioned swim, and with water everywhere you look in Cook County, there’s no shortage of great places to jump in. Clear and cold, peaceful and powerful, swimming in Cook County is a refreshing and fun rite of passage.

Discover Waterfalls

Every spring, when hundreds of thousands of acres of accumulated snowfall melts, it all finds its way to Lake Superior. Along the way, oncequiet streams transform into a roaring rage of waterfalls. From pop-up falls to year-round dramatic drops, Cook County is home to a diverse range of waterfalls. Check out Devil’s Kettle Falls in Judge C.R. Magney State Park, High Falls of the Pigeon River in Grand Portage State Park and countless smaller falls along many hiking trails throughout the region.